Suspension for musical resonant bars



Feb. 28, 1950 P, H, ROWE 2,499,113 l SUSPENSION FOR MUSICAL RESONANT BARS Filed July 8, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 p g- 13 3 f3 IN VEN TOR.

3 PAUL EROWE,

Feb. 28, 1950 x= e H. RowE 2,499,113

SUSPENSION FOR MUSICAL RESONANT BARS Filed July 8, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR.

Ral. E Rowe,

BY y

/Zrroe/VEY.

Patented Feb. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Paul Henry Rowe, Los Angeles, Calin, assignerto Maas-Rowe Electromusi'c, Corporation, Los Angeles',` Calif., a corporation of California Application Jill'y 8', 1948, SerialNo. 37,719

(Cl. Sri-403) 6 Claims; l

This invention relates to musical instruments of the percussion type in which rigid bars are struck to produce characteristic musical tones. The strikers are citen electromagnetically' operated. More particularly, the invention relates to the suspension" of these bars.

This application is a continuation in part of application, Serial No. 744,875, led April 30, 1947 in'l the' name of Paul' Henry Rowe, and entitled: Resonant bar suspension apparatus.

An object of this invention is the provision of stringsupports for resonant bars, and which permit the bars to vibrate freely with resulting clear and vibrantA tones.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a supporting structure fora resonant bar that emcientlyzsupports the barand yet permits free vibration thereof;

In orderto transmit the sound waves produced by4 the vibrations, the vibrations of eachbar are caused to affect an electric circuit in which a pick-up coil is included. This' coil includes a magneti-c core, and the bar is' suspended over the core so that the vibrations' cause corresponding variationsy in the magnetic fiuxthrough the coil- The resultant current fluctuations in the coil can beA used to aiect amplifiers and a loudspeaker.

It is', accordingly', another object of thisinvention to provide a suspension thatv can readily be adjusted for positioning the bar as desired with relation to the coil. Furthermore, by appropriate adjustment of the suspension, the distance of the bar from the core can be adjusted toobtain the desired amplitude of the amplied sound. Since a pick-up circuit is associated with each bar, it'is'thus possible" independently to adjust the intensity of the sound causedv by eachvibrating bar.

It is still another obiectofth-is invention to provide a suspension thatA resilientl'ymaintainsl the barsv in a desired adjusted position with respect tothe pick-up coil.

This' invention possesses` many other advantages, and has; other obiects which may be made more clearly apparenty from a consideration of several' embodiments of the: invention.. For this purpose, there are shown a few forms in the drawings accompanying and forming partv of the present specication'i.. These forms will now be describedin detail', illustrating the general princioles of theinvention; but. it is to be understood that' this detailed description is not to bev taken in a limiting sense, since' the scope of this invention isbest-dened' by the appended claims.

, Referring'td thedrawingsz: i

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of an instrument incorporating the invention, all of the strikers except one being omitted, aswell as other parts; for 'the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2fis an enlarged' sectional View, taken on thefplane 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig..3 is an enlarged sectional view, taken along plane 3--3'of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view, similar to Fig. 2, showing the string suspension system for one string only; and

Fig'. 5` isv aview similar to Fig; 4, of a modified form ofthe invention.

In the drawings, supporting frame-is provided, which may be made of wood, and havingI the horizontal upper'and l'owersupports I and 2. Support I has: two horizontally spaced supporting mem'- bers. Suspended transversely below support I are they spaced resonant.. bars 3v of conventional design. These. bars are made fromA magnetic inaterial. Near the end of each bar 3, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, there is-a pick-up coil. 4 that has a thin metal shell 5 supported in an appropriate recess in frame member' 2. This coil has a core 6 which may be a permanent magnet; or, a part of core 6 may be a permanent magnet, and another part soft iron.y The top of the core is spaced. slightly below the corresponding bar to piclr up the vibrations therefrom, so as to vary the flux through the coil 4 in accordance with the bar vibrations.

These bars 3` are shown as ofv graduated lengths to correspond to the desired tones to be produced by striking them'. Furthermore, to provide the desired: tonal' qualities, some of' them may have reduced intermediate portions 1 (Fig. 1) A hammer or striker 8' (Fig. 2), having the felt cap 9 thereon and overhead damper I ll connected thereto: a looped wire I'I, is interposed between the spaced. resonant bars in the complete musical instrument. Only one striker is shown for the sake or clarity, but it is tobe understood that similar strikers are provided for each bar 3, all being appropriately supported' beneath member 2 and electromagnetically operated'.

Now, directing the description specifically to the string suspension of resonant bars, a series of string guides I2 (Figs. 2, 3, and 4) are secured to each' member of the support I' adjacent its lower edge, said string guidesbeing interposed between the spaced resonant liars 3. These guides are in the form oi pinssl'anted downwardly'toward the space between the two. longitudinal frame members of supportv I1.

x Manually operatedstringv anchoring and tightener members I3 provide the attachment and adjustment means for the long string sustaining the bar. These anchors may be in the form of eyes screwed into the top of support I, immediately above guides I2. As shown most clearly in Figs. l and 3, there is a double row of these anchors on each of the frame members to provide suiicient spacing between the anchors. Although these screw eyes are all shown with their eye loops .parallel to each other, this is only for the sake of simplifying the drawing. In actual use, the angular positions of the eyes are haphazard.

Inasmuch as each string-suspension means for an individual resonant bar is the same, it is-believed necessary merely to describe a single resonant bar support, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4.

A long string I4 is secured, as by a knot l5, to one of its anchors I3. This string is preferably made from breglass cord, covered with nylon, and resists stretching. The string i4 passes downwardly along a vertical face of support I (see Fig. 3), and thence underneath guide I2 and above one resonant bar 3;(Fig. 2) thence around a resonant bar 3 at a nodal point thereon. `The looped string may be heldin looped form by a string loop i3. The string I4 is then passed above another adjacent bar 3, underneath another guide I2, and finally attached as by a kno-t I5, to another anchor I3. As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, each string I4 passes above the bars 3 that are adjacent the suspended bar, so that the length of the suspension between guides I2 is about three times the center-to-center spacing of the bars.

. In order to Yprovide a further restraint on the bar, there is provided a resilient string Il'. This string loops over the guide IB, similar to guides I2, and located at the lower edge of support 2. Pin guides I9, spaced apart adjacent the upper edge of support 2, serve to provide a looped form for string II. The upper loop passes beneath the loop o-f string I4 where string Ill embraces rod 3. The string I1 is preferably made of twisted nylon cord, that is highly resilient. However, a non-resilient string may be used (Fig. 5), in conjunction with light tension springs 2I located somewhere in the loop cord.

l The outer ends of the suspending string Ill, previously described as attached to anchors I3, may be readily adjusted by manual means, either to tighten the string or to loosen same. In other words, a wide degree of adjustment relative to the core 6 of the pick-up coil 4 may be given to the resonant bar 3 by merely adjusting the lengths of the strings at these anchors I3 as conditions may require. This adjustment is effected by turning the eye I3 so as to wind or unwind the string on the shank of the eye.

, As shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 4, the series of strings I4 for the bars overlap and cross above the bars 3. Each bar is pro-vided with similar string suspensions adjacent each end of the bar to form a double suspension.

Each of the guides I2 serves effectively for two strings I4, one passing toward the right thereof, and the other to the left, as indicated in Fig. 2. Similarly, guides I9 serve for two of the strings I1.

-The resonant bar is aorded not only a considerable degree of vertical adjustment with respect to core 6, but the bar may be moved horizontally in either direction by the proper adjustment of the long string, so as to bring the bar into the desired relation to its respective core. Thevjresilient anchor formed by string, I 7, or

string 20 and spring 2| maintains the bar 3 in proper position. The strings I4 are kept stretched by this means, so that the bars are kept eiectively in the desired relation to the pick-up coils.

Although in the forms illustrated, a tie I6 is shown for maintaining the loop in the cord I 4, this may be obviated by simply making a turn around the bar with the cord I 4.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the class described: a series of closely spaced resonant bars; substantially horizontal suspension cords for each bar, extending at right angles to the axis of the bar and tangentially to the upper surface thereof; and means for anchoring these suspension cords on each side at a point horizontally spaced beyond the adjacent bar, thereby providing Va free suspension string having a total free length of substantially three times the center-to-center spacing of the tone bars; said anchor points for the suspension string being located in a plane somewhat above the top surface of the tone bar so as to provide clearance between the supporting string of any bar and the adjacent tone bar; another cord attached to the bar near the bottom surface of the bar and supported in a similar manner to the rst mentioned cords, but with the anchor points placed below the bar so as to provide necessary clearance with adjacent bars, said lower cord providing a downward tension on the bar.

2. In an apparatus of the class described: a supporting frame; a horizontal tone bar; main supporting cords for transversely supporting said bar, engaging the bar and xed at points on the supporting frame; and auxiliary supporting Cords, constructed at least partly of resilient material, said auxiliary' cords 'being located on theopposite side of the bar from the main supporting cords, and exerting a pull on the bar against the main supporting cords; means for adjusting the spacing of the tone bar relative to the supporting frame; said means consisting of a device for varying the free lengths of the main supporting cords between their fixed supports and the tone bar.

3. In a suspension system for musical resonant bars: a frame having a pair of vertically spaced supports; a horizontal tone bar adapted to be supported between said supports; and means for transversely and adjustably supporting said bar with respect to said supports for mounting said bar at a particular spacing between thesaid supports, comprising: a suspending cord, a pair of string guides on the upper of said supports, a pair of anchor pins on said support, the suspending cord extending between the guides and guided thereby and being secured to said bar at a point intermediate said guides, the guides being loc-ated at points laterally displaced from said bar, the suspending cord being anchored to said anchor pins, the anchor pins being adjustable to vary the length of said suspending cord between the guides and thereby varying the spacing of said bar from said supports; and resilient means cooperating with the bar and mounted on the lower support and tensioning said main supporting cord.

4. In a suspension system for musical resonant bars: a frame having a pair of vertically spaced supports; a horizontal tone bar adapted to be supported between said supports; and means for transversely and adjustably supporting said bar with respect to said supports for mounting said bar at a particular spacing betwen the said supf ports, comprising: asuspending cord, a pair of string guides on the upper of said supports, a pair of anchor pins on said support, the suspending cord extending between the guides and guided thereby and being secured to said bar at a point intermediate said guides, the guides being located at points laterally displaced from said bar, the suspending cord being anchored to said anchor pins, the anchor pins being adjustable to vary the length ci said suspending cord between the guides and thereby Varying the spacing of said bar from said supports; and means cooperating with the bar and tensioning said suspending cord, includlng an auxiliary resilient cord means cooperating with said bar, string guides laterally displaced from said bar and located on the lower support, said auxiliary cord means being guided thereby, and means insuring cooperation of said auxiliary cord with said guides.

5. In a suspension system for musical resonant bars: a frame having a pair of vertically spaced supports; a horizontal tone bar adapted to be supported between said supports; and means for transversely and adjustably supporting said bar with respect to said supports for mounting said bar at a particular spacing between the said supports, comprising: a suspending cord, a pair of string guides on the upper of said supports, a pair of anchor pins on said support, the suspending cord extending between the guides and guided thereby and being secured to said bar at a point intermediate said guides, the guides being located at points laterally displaced from said bar, the suspending cord being anchored to said anchor pins, the anchor pins being adjustable to Vary the length of said suspending cord between the guides and thereby varying the spacing of said bar from said supports; and means cooperating with the bar and tensioning said suspending cord, including an auxiliary resilient cord means 6 cooperating with said bar, comprising a nonresilient cord and a tension spring, string guides laterally displaced from said bar and located on the lower support, said auxiliary cord means being guided thereby, and means insuring cooperation of said auxiliary cord with said guides.

6. In an apparatus of the class described: a supporting frame; a horizontal tone bar; main suspending cords for transversely supporting said bar and engaging the bar, said cords being fixed at points on the supporting frame; guides for the cord on the frame guiding the main supporting cord to extend substantially tangentially and transversely of said bar from the point of engagement therewith; and auxiliary supporting cords, constructed at least partly of resilient material, said auxiliary cords being located on the opposite side of the bar from the main supporting cords, and exerting a pull on the bar against the main suspending cords; and means for adjusting the spacing of the tone bar relative to the supporting frame; said means consisting of a device for varying the free lengths of the main supporting cords between their fixed supports and the tone bar.

PAUL HENRY ROWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,413,062 Miessner Dec. 24, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 151,318 Germany May 17, 1904 

